


memories of what love could be

by oakleaf_bearer



Series: jon's ace and this is important to me [5]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Author is Asexual, Canon Asexual Character, Nonbinary Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Other, Set in Episodes 159-160 | Scottish Safehouse Period (The Magnus Archives), ace rings, martin blackwood is a good boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29228688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oakleaf_bearer/pseuds/oakleaf_bearer
Summary: "A common symbol of asexuality is a black ring worn on your right middle finger. I looked into them when I first realised I was ace, but then... I don't know, I had a lot of unresolved issues back then related to my sexuality. I suppose I just thought that wearing a ring would be drawing attention to it. That was years ago now and I've often thought about getting one, but I've never found one that I've liked.""Until now." Martin guessed.Jon gave a little affirmative nod of their head.-ashes-in-a-jar had an absolutely incredible headcanon about jon getting his ace ring on the way to the safehouse, and the concept wouldn't leave my mind until i wrote it
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Series: jon's ace and this is important to me [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010925
Comments: 49
Kudos: 280





	memories of what love could be

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ashes_and_Kites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashes_and_Kites/gifts).



> i made [ a post](https://oakleaf--bearer.tumblr.com/post/642316928885637120/ohoh-i-love-that)about how much people drawing jon with an ace ring meant to me, and then ashes-in-a-jar responded with an absolutely incredible headcanon and i absolutely had to write a fic based on it

The trip to Scotland was broken up by changes in vehicles, small pauses at train stations while they waited for their next train, a brief break to fill their rental car up with fuel, a stop at the services for some food. 

Martin felt a little ridiculous, standing in the queue for some awful fast food place, surrounded by families going for weekend trips, Jon's shoulder brushing his. They were a small island of quiet miserable in a sea of chatter, surrounded by tides of bouncing children and smiling parents. Two small specks bringing down the mood of the entire place. A single glance at Jon told him they were exhausted, and Martin didn't feel much better. 

"Jon, you look dead on your feet."

"Hmm?" Jon glanced up at him. "Oh. I suppose I am." 

"Why don't you go and get some coffee? I think I saw a machine in the little shop."

Jon gave a tired smile. "Martin Blackwood, advocating for coffee? Whatever next?"

Martin tried to match his weary amusement. "I have layers. Go on, I'll get the food."

Jon set off towards the shop, dragging his feet behind him like some sort of terrible B grade horror film zombie. 

When his order was called, he collected the bags of greasy, delicious smelling food and set off in pursuit of Jon.

Martin found them staring at a small rack of cheap jewellery, two steaming coffees in their hands. 

"Hey. What have you found?"

"Oh, ah, this." Jon pointed to a ring handing from one of the hooks. It was simple, a plain black band. Amongst the more flashy and tacky pieces, it looked almost unremarkable, but it seemed to match Jon. Understated and yet incredibly beautiful. 

"It's nice."

"I thought so too. It's- How much do you know about asexuality?" 

"Uhh," the question seemed bizarrely out of the blue. "A bit." Martin had done research when he had heard Melanie telling Basira that Jon 'didn't' on the tape. He knew the basics, enough that he felt he understood everything, but apparently not enough to see how this tied in. 

"A common symbol of asexuality is a black ring worn on your right middle finger. I looked into them when I first realised I was ace, but then... I don't know, I had a lot of unresolved issues back then related to my sexuality. I suppose I just thought that wearing a ring would be drawing attention to it. That was years ago now and I've often thought about getting one, but I've never found one that I've liked." 

"Until now." Martin guessed. 

Jon gave a little affirmative nod of their head. 

"Then we should get it."

"Martin, we- It's frivolous, we don't know when we will be able to get more money. To spend it all on little personal things is ridiculous."

"Jon." Martin gave them a look. "This is Peter's money. I don't think a ring from a service station is going to use up all of our resources. If it will make you happy, then we should get it." 

"But-" Jon trailed off, staring up at him with wide eyes. "Really?"

"Absolutely. Look, if it will make you feel better I'll get-" Martin reached out and took the first keyring his hand fell on. It had a small plush highland cow dangling from it. "I'll get this. See? Frivolous spending that makes us both feel better."

Jon was smiling properly now, fondness tugging at the corners of their mouth. "A cow?"

Martin shrugged. "It's good. Good cow." 

"You're ridiculous." Jon said, smiling. "Thank you."

Martin shrugged again. "Don't mention it. I- It's nice to see you smile. Besides, we're spending, what, less than five pounds total? It's not exactly breaking the bank."

"Still. You don't have to."

"No." Martin agreed, taking the ring off the rack. "But I want to. There's a difference. Now come on, let's go pay for these. I'm starving." 

Jon followed him to the tills, beaming as Martin payed for the ring and the keyring. They continued to grin as Martin slipped it onto their finger, awkwardly trying not to bump the coffee in their hands. 

It was a perfect fit and as they sat eating their food, the keys to their rental car now adorned with a small plush cow, Martin felt lighter than he had in a long time, watching his maybe-partner gaze at the ring on their finger, feeling like a thousand sunbeams were shining out of Jon's smile. 

**Author's Note:**

> im getting my own ace ring in two days!! i cannot wait!!
> 
> title is from band of gold by freda payne 
> 
> come find me [on tumblr](https://oakleaf--bearer.tumblr.com/) or [on insta](https://www.instagram.com/statement_boo_gins/)  
> i take prompts/dms/asks on both!  
> or, [join my discord!](https://discord.gg/pbzDxAZJtq)


End file.
